GR Pick: Yooka-Laylee Does Its Own DK Rap

Back when Yooka-Laylee was breaking Kickstarter records, contributors were able to reach a number of the game’s stretch goals. One particularly amusing stretch goal promised that Yooka-Laylee would get its own version of the DK Rap, a memorable and cheesy song that plays at the beginning of Donkey Kong 64. A little over a week away from Yooka-Laylee‘s launch, Playtonic has finally delivered on its promise.

The Yooka-Laylee Rap is as cheesy as fans may have expected, and it does its job of introducing some of the characters and their goals in the game. The titular Yooka and Laylee each have a verse dedicated to introducing them and highlighting some of their powers, whereas Trowzer the Snake and Rextro Sixtyforus both have their moments in the rap as well.

As an homage to the DK Rap from Donkey Kong 64, the Yooka-Laylee Rap should be a treat for fans of Rare’s 3D platformers from the Nintendo 64 era. Watch the Yooka-Laylee Rap in all its cheesy glory right here:

The Yooka-Laylee Rap may not earn any video game music awards any time soon, but it serves its purpose well. Yooka-Laylee is a game meant to invoke a feeling of nostalgia in players that enjoyed 3D platformers like Donkey Kong 64, so the DK Rap is fitting. However, some fans may have wished that Playtonic kept it under wraps until the game’s launch so that they could experience it in the game itself.

It’s possible that Playtonic decided to release the Yooka-Laylee Rap on YouTube before the game’s proper launch next week to drum up some positive press for the game. Yooka-Laylee is currently experiencing some controversy after the developers decided to cut JonTron from the game following racist statements he made in an online debate, with some fans praising the decision and others promising to boycott the game.

Perhaps those upset about JonTron being cut from Yooka-Laylee can be won over by the Yooka-Laylee Rap. On the other hand, those that are unfamiliar with Donkey Kong 64 and the DK Rap may be turned off by its corny lyrics. In any case, people that spent their childhood playing Rare’s classic Nintendo 64 games will likely find the Yooka-Laylee Rap amusing and nostalgic.

Yooka-Laylee will be available on April 11th for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, with a Nintendo Switch release planned for a later date.